


Never amor fati

by EthanolMusket



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Canon Divergence, Character Death, Drama, M/M, Oneshot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-01-09
Packaged: 2018-05-12 16:53:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5673475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EthanolMusket/pseuds/EthanolMusket
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The new emperor of the Kou Empire has lost his best half, but there's no backing down for him, he'll push forwards to change the world and get back what he lost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never amor fati

Smoke could be seen everywhere from afar, the flames consuming what was left of the capital...the capital that they had claimed back with careful planning, a vicious fight, tears and blood. They at least had managed to live there happily and together for a few days, basking in the glory they had attained with blood stained hands. Now it was all going downhill, the emperor’s hand clenched in a tight fist, his rage growing with each passing second.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Not after they had killed Gyokuen, after they were ready to start living out of their cage called destiny, now that the country was his. Fate was a terrible thing, threatening their chance of happiness every time, and finally devouring it with its flames. It wasn’t fair, sweat rolled down his forehead as he walked hurriedly to their chambers. What was left of his sanity was slipping away like sand through his fingers, the burden too unbearable, the load too heavy on his shoulders. A few lingering soldiers approached to him hastily.

“Your majesty! We have to leave Rakushou! There’s a secret tunnel in the back, so please, hurry!”

“I am not leaving, I can’t leave...” he bit his lower lip as the soldiers look in worry at their young ruler.

“Your highness, he is gone...you should leave quickly, for what you two conquered, for-“

The emperor growled and grabbed the soldier harshly by the neck, pressing it until his wounded knuckles were white.

“You both leave, I don’t care what you do! Go if you’re that fucking afraid! I don’t want to see your faces any longer”  

The soldier backed up and coughed, giving a last glare to the boy, he gave the order to retreat to the others as they ran away. The other just stared, he had told them to leave, but how could he just abandon his palace like that? The capital that had flourished thanks to them,  Hakuyuu and Hakuren. He closed his eyes and could see the bright smiles and could hear the kind words said to him back then, they really didn’t deserve to die like that, that’s why he would keep on fighting fate to the end, even if he was alone now, or so he tried to convince himself. After some more steps he arrived to his chambers, opening the doors slowly, careful as not to wake the other inside.

 There he was, his other half, his partner in happiness, his soulmate as he liked to call him sometimes, as beautiful as always, eyes closed peacefully, as if hell wasn’t being unleashed outside. His hair was loose and flowed freely by his sides, his skin so white it glowed with the color of the lanterns placed around him. The emperor sat on the floor besides his beloved and held his hand.

“I will bring you back no matter what, no matter if I have to sacrifice this world…this place is not worth living in if it isn’t with you...” he stroked the other’s hand, it was so soft, as if he had never seen a day of fighting, a small smile appeared in his lips as he pressed them over the other’s ones, still no reply.

“It’s all right, you can sleep, when you wake up, I’ll even prepare something for you, your favorite meal with some peaches of course” he stroked the soft, dark hair, before standing up and returning back to the main room with the throne. There was no one, the Al-Thamen magicians were all outside fighting for his sake, even if they were being controlled, they could buy some time.

He sat on the throne, deep in thought, he was going to bring him back, he had to, somehow. He took off the emperor’s crown, admiring it absentmindedly, concentrated on the black rukh stirring inside of him, it was so intense he could feel it clearly, almost tearing him apart.

“I will break this world down…and create it anew” he mumbled.

 There was a mighty clash, the wide doors falling down, a swarm of soldiers entered the room, pointing their spears at him, followed by their general, Kouen, who looked firmly at the young emperor’s eyes.

“I never imagined you’d be able to accomplish all this so quickly” he started, walking slowly towards the boy, who stared intently back at him, a smirk appearing on his lips.

“You never thought much of me, did you, usurper?” He stood up, placing the crown on the throne and burrowing his hands on his long sleeves. “You should have taken me seriously, it’s a pity for you, this will be your end”

“My end? Have you looked around? We have cornered you in here, in the palace, you lost him, an irreplaceable ally, can you really win against us like that?”

A somber look fell over the young emperor’s face, as he grinded his teeth slightly. “I can and I will, I will bring him back, and you won’t be able to hold me down with your chains of deception, Kouen!”

Kouen sighed deeply. “There’s just no going back for you, is there?” he immediately changed into his Astaroth djinn equip. “This is your last chance to surrender”

The emperor started chuckling until his laughter turned into a thunder. “You’re asking me to surrender? And then what? Live in a cage? Change my rukh and fall out of depravity? Unify the world under your rule?!” the ground rumbled and some branches moved against the army, some soldiers were too slow and got impaled, Kouen managed to dodge easily as he glared at the scene.

“King and brother, behind you!” Koumei shouted and Kouen was able to dodge the incoming wooden spears raining towards him.

“Even with your abilities, you can’t win!” the general charged at the attacking branches with his flames, which were devoured in an instant.

“Mister Kouen!” the young magi entered the palace, eyes widening at the scene. “This is...this magic just feels like...” He immediately looked up at the ruler, concern in his eyes.

“Please you’ve got to stop this!”

“As if I’d listen to you... after you two took him away from me...”

“You will accomplish nothing with this! You won’t bring him back with this, can’t you see, Judal?! You’ll just hurt yourself in the process!”

The emperor bit his lower lip, hardly. “Shut up, pipsqueak...as if you knew anything!”

“I know how much you cared for Hakuryuu! I lost Alibaba as well, but this…this is going too far, and if I have to stop you…I will!” Aladdin held his staff in his hands. “You became emperor and even learned the eight type of magic for Hakuryuu’s sake...even now Zagan is helping you...this shouldn’t be…Judal...it’s not too late! We can help you meet Hakuryuu’s rukh! Please think about it!”

“Shut the fuck up!” Judal floated and invoked his ice spears, impaling more soldiers during his attack and aiming at the metal vessel users. “You and your righteous blabbering! It makes me sick to the core!”

Aladdin closed his eyes, focusing on his magic, he hated to do this, he hated how hurt Judal was, how scared the other really looked in his eyes, but he knew the fallen magi wasn’t scared for his life, but for his king’s.

“Judal…I really wish I could save you...” he whispered, joining in the offense against the emperor.

* * *

 

******

_“...Hey Hakuryuu…knock it off this is not funny anymore…” the magi held the limp body of his king closely, shaking it ocassionally. “Open your eyes you cheeky bastard, we’re in the middle of a fight!”_

_“Judal please stop!” Aladdin clinged to Alibaba’s lifeless body, tears rolling down his face. “He is gone, Judal...”_

_“No...there’s no way, he’s not a mediocre king vessel like yours! Hakuryuu is strong and an amazing king, he’s intelligent and is naturally regal unlike your choice, right Hakuryuu? If you don’t reply, I’ll look like an idiot, Hakuryuu...”_

_“Judal...” Aladdin looked at the other magi with teary eyes, he looked so lost and scared he felt bad for the other. Unlike him, Judal only had Hakuryuu, and even if he was hurting badly due to Alibaba’s lost, he knew he’d have to carry on anyways, but could the other do such a thing?_

_“Answer me, Hakuryuu!” He shook the prince’s body more vigorously until Aladdin grabbed his hand._

_“Judal, stop! He is dead! He won’t reply!”_

_Judal halted and turned to look at Aladdin, his eyes wide in shock, he got even paler against all odds and tears made their way down his face._

_“It’s a lie...that’s not funny, shrimp...it’s so uncute of you to say such things...”_

_“Judal...” Aladdin placed his hand on the other’s shoulder, but the dark magi swapped his hand away._

_“No…” he mumbled, carrying Hakuryuu and floating away._

_*****_

_“What happened to the emperor?!”_

_“Is he gone?!”_

_“There’s a civil war starting soon! Who will lead us?!”_

_It was too much for the magi, all these people freaking out and screaming, as he held Hakuryuu’s body closely. “Shut up imbeciles, you’ll wake the emperor up…” he mumbled._

_“Magi...there’s no one else now, it is your duty” the right general, Seiryuu Ri placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder._

_“It’s the only way, you should become emperor, for Emperor’s Hakuryuu’s sake...” the left general, Kokuhyou Shuu continued._

_Judal scoffed. “I am a magi, I choose kings, not become one...that’s just...unnatural”_

_“For emperor’s Hakuryuu’s goals...this duty falls on you, magi”_

_Judal remained silent and walked away to their chambers, placing Hakuryuu’s body on the bed carefully, stroking his hair._

_“Can you believe them, Hakuryuu? They want me to be a king...but I can’t, because you are the king, right? You are my king, Hakuryuu…” he curled around the other’s body, hugging him tightly. “Right, Hakuryuu?...”_

_****_

_It had been a day, and Judal had used a lot of rukh to keep Hakuryuu’s body well, he couldn’t allow it to decay, but he wasn’t good with life magic, he rubbed his own face, anxiety crawling on his body, he stood up and started hitting the wall repeatedly._

_“This...must be a fucking nightmare!” he kept on and on, screaming, his knuckles opening and blood flowing freely. He fell on his knees, panting heavily, everything was hazy, until he turned to see Hakuryuu’s spear. He crawled to it and touched the eight pointed star on the spear, summoning the djinn residing in there._

_Zagan materialized in front of him, a sad expression on his face._

_“Magi...your decisions have led my master to his demise...why would you do such a thing?”_

_“Are you saying it’s my fault?...no, I merely wanted him to be free from the chains of fate! Would you have him live like that forever? Always in the shadows?!” he clenched his hands in fists and hit the floor._

_Zagan was in thought for a while. “I have to admit, he was happy when you were there for him…but at what cost?” he sighed deeply. “Magi, what is it you wish from me?”_

_“I need you to help me...get him back”_

_“But it’s impo-“_

_“It is not! That’s because you only have followed Solomon’s will this whole time! Teach me the eight type of magic, I need to keep his body working, help me protect him, that’s all I want, you don’t have to fight this war, just fight to protect your master”_

_Zagan was silent, staring deeply at the magi’s eyes, vibrant, intense, scared and pleading. “I can’t refuse to a magi’s request…plus I’ve grown fond of the crybaby myself...this is defying Solomon’s will”_

_“This is for Hakuryuu”_

_The djinn smiled softly. “For Hakuryuu...I will do as you say, even if I’m dooming myself with this...if you have a plan to bring his rukh back, then it may be worth a shot”_

_“And he is not a crybaby, he is my king”_

_“Yes, he is our king…”_

_***_

_“Magi, open up” the right general knocked on the door. “You’ve been there three days and we can’t wait any longer”_

_“War is coming, we need your powers and guidance” the left general united in the conversation._

_The door creaked open and Judal stepped outside, his eyes looked tired and his hair was disheveled, but he looked determined._

_“I will become Emperor as you wish, for Hakuryuu...”_

_“I am glad you reconsidered, magi…no, your majesty”_

_**_

_Aladdin was reunited with Kouen and the others. Kouha and Kougyoku had sad, somber faces, they still couldn’t believe their childhood friend and magi had betrayed them so, it hurt how things were going._

_“King and brother...more news from the capital...” Koumei entered. “It seems they have a new emperor”_

_“How come?...Alibaba and Hakuryuu both...” Aladdin started and looked down, the pain in his chest was still strong, after such a recent loss._

_“Judal has assumed the emperor position” Koumei continued, while the others look astonished and dumbfounded._

_“That shouldn’t be...could it be...that was his intention all the time?” Kouen thought out loud, looking at the maps in front of him._

_“That not it!” Aladdin’s voice startled him as he looked at the magi with his usual serious face. “You’re wrong...for Judal to accept such a thing, it must have been really painful...”_

_“Is that so? Anyways, magi or emperor, he is our enemy now”_

_*_

_Judal stood at the front of the palace, trying not to look totally annoyed by those long robes he had to wear now but mostly by the people making a racket, asking their new emperor to keep them safe during the war, inquiring about what will become of Rakushou. Judal could barely stand them, he just wanted to freeze all of these obnoxious people, he just wanted Hakuryuu back…but these people were his king’s after all, a king needed to rule over them, so that was the only motivation, if any at all, to calm the masses._

_“Stop whinning! You are people of the Kou Empire’s capital! You shouldn’t forget that, and I will guard what emperor Hakuryuu guarded, with all my might”_

_The people seemed calmer now, but the magi wasn’t, he just wanted to kill each and every one of them for not caring Hakuryuu wasn’t the one standing there, maybe they did, but their priority was their own stupid life. He didn’t care about them, but he would do anything to bring him back, after all._

 

* * *

 

He was a magi, he was powerful, he had a djinn’s help, but in the end, he was outmatched, he lied on the ground, panting heavily, white robes stained crimson with his blood, hair loose and wild all around him. Kouen landed in front of him, pointing his sword at him.

“Judal, it’s over, you can’t go on”

Judal started chuckling and coughed some blood as he managed to get on his feet and stumbled all the way to the throne, sitting down on it and placing the mian on his head once more.

“Hakuryuu...this world...I’ll give it to you”

“Judal...please give up now, you still can save yourself from the darkness!” Aladdin pleaded in vain.

“I don’t seek redemption, I am fine like this” he smiled brightly, the third eye on his forehead revealing itself, a flurry of black rukh floating around him.

“Judal! What did you do?!”

“I have been casting this while you were beating my ass, you know? It’s too late now! This world is not yours!”

A dark beam emerged from Judal to the skies, while the remaining soldiers and generals looked in shock at the scene, Il Ilah was there, descending quickly before everyone’s eyes, Kouen hurried with sword in hand towards Judal while Aladdin tried casting a borg. But the world was surrounded by darkness for the last time.

**.**

**..**

**…**

**….**

**…..**

It was hard walking with such wounds, blood flowing down his chest were the sword had pierced him, luckily, it hadn’t been his heart, he was clinging to life by mere adrenaline and will, as he tugged Hakuryuu behind him, falling on a corner, far away from the desolation Rakushou was now. He had used forbidden magic, he had learned that from that mysterious man that sometimes talked to him, the man that could destroy and rebuild worlds at will. He had infused Hakuryuu’s body with Il Ilah’s rukh, that way, he could reclaim the rukh from the flow.

“Hey Hakuryuu, you’re safe now, they won’t take you away from me anymore” Judal exhaled, hugging Hakuryuu close, stroking his face gently, the prince’s chest heaving slowly.

“Look at this world, my king, I broke it for you, now we can rebuild it as we wish, as we wanted, my dear Hakuryuu” He nuzzled the other gently, entwining his fingers with the other’s, his red eyes closing slowly. “When you wake up, Hakuryuu, we’ll be free, finally free from this shitty destiny”  

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This was longer than intended, but I wanted to write some angst, it's cannon divergent in which Alibaba and Hakuryuu practically kill each other during the fight and Judal takes over, but his real objective is to get his king back. I'll write an angsty, multichapter fic for these two someday. I have more in store for 'king' Judal. I remember I read something like this back then, when all the time you think it's Hakuryuu but it's not in the end, wanted to try something similar, hope it worked and that you enjoy reading!


End file.
